Introducing... Daniel Henry Haid; Infant Formerly Called baby h

Daniel Henry Haid

Arrived 10:40 am, Monday, July 27, 2009

Into the waiting arms of parents Dan and Bethany,

Maternal grandparents David and Glenda,

Paternal grandparents Zeke and Becky,

Aunts Jessica and Rachel and Uncle Wes.

Delivered by Drs. Floyd and Harden at Columbia Regional Hospital Family Birth Center.

Weighing in at 7 pounds, 2 ounces with a length of 20.75 inches.

Pleasant, relaxed disposition, heightened awareness of surroundings.

Enjoys cuddling, his hands up on his face, and visits from family and future friends.

Letter to Baby, Monday, July 20

Dear Baby,



This morning I woke up when the day was still quite new. Our bedroom window was open, and I could hear sounds of our neighborhood waking up. My husband was still asleep and was tucked down deep under the blankets. I couldn't see our alarm clock, but somehow I knew I had about an hour of being awake before him. Even though I could really sleep as long as I wanted to - I am not working and have no morning appointments - I couldn't sleep.

I felt my face smiling and a lot of nervous energy in my stomach. I felt like I was eight years old and the first to be awake for Christmas morning. I remember feeling this way as a child, half of me wanting to sneak a peek at the presents under the tree, the other half contented to shiver with anticipation for the last few moments pre-Christmas. This morning I felt such excitement about getting you, a real present for my life.

I felt like it was a very special morning, and I know that according to our plans, this is the last Monday morning we will have, pre-baby, as a couple. We aren't just going to be friends or spouses or teammates, we are going to be parents together. We won't have the same relationship again, ever. We probably won't spend mornings together in bed like this for a LONG time.

When I got up, I wanted to see what the day looked like, to see if it looked as different as it felt. This morning was an unseasonably cool July morning, and I did feel a bit special. I ate Oreos and milk for breakfast, and did some house chores. I kissed your father goodbye as he left for work, and I knew it was the last Monday morning of my life without a baby in the house.

I have the same sort of feelings of ending a chapter in a book as I did on the last day at home before I moved to college, the morning of my wedding day, my first day of being a teacher, and now each day as I consider, "Is today the last day of pregnancy? Will I meet my son tomorrow?" I feel like everyday is sort of like the day before my birthday because your birth will be the birth of a new life for me.

Your father and I have a comfortable, happy, and blessed life. We have enjoyed 6 and a half years of love and 4 years of marriage. With these being the last hours we have as a duo, each one that passes is special. Somehow I know that we are going to enter an even better phase in our lives, even though now its hard for me to imagine that it can get any better.

I hope I let you know every day how important you are to our lives, and how you enrich them and make us into a new, improved family.

Love,

Your mom.

Ultrasound Pictures - Photo Blitz

For the last month, Baby H's ultrasound pictures have not shown too much difference from week to week. And since they are weekly, I've gotten behind at scanning and sharing them. He is still very cute, and the ultra sound technicians always comment on his sweet, sleeping face. Usually they must wake him up using a fetal acoustic stimulator, which causes him to twitch and take his hands away from his face.

June 17, 2009 - 35 weeks.

Foot as large as his dad's pinky.
June 24, 2009 - 36 weeks

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Cheeks are getting chubby as he puts on brown fat.

Sleeping with his hand squashed against his face.

July 8, 2009

37 weeks.

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38.5 Week Appointment and Delivery Date

On Wednesday, July 15 we arrived at the Center for Maternal-Fetal Care for what we thought was the last visit.

I assumed it was our last time settling in to this peaceful waiting room.

I assumed it would be our last black and white peek at our son via ultrasound before we saw him in color, three dimensionally.

The last time for a Non-Stress Test to monitor the fetal heart rate and maternal uterine contractions. Though the recliner is super comfy, its a really boring 25 minutes.

I thought I was having my final blood pressure check done by my favorite staff member, Nurse Mary.

I thought it was my last pee in the cup to test for ketones, white blood cells, dehydration, proteins, etc.

I was even a little cheerful about being examined to see how far the labor was progressing. Only a little, because its not the most pleasant vacation experience!

However, after Nurse Mary and Dr. Kimberly came in to discuss the baby's development and my progression into labor I realized this is not the last time. I'll be here next Wednesday, too. Perhaps once again this week or twice again next week. I had felt so certain that the pains I was experiencing were progressing the labor process. Perhaps they are, but they weren't progressing to the point of BABY TIME.

During our appointments in the last few weeks, the doctors and I have been discussing the risks of continuing pregnancy past 38.5 weeks, the possibility of preterm labor (obviously, this didn't happen, hurray!), the possibility of spontaneous labor beginning before the due date of July 26, the threat of placental unhealthiness after 39 weeks, and induction of labor at 39 weeks.

I have done research about labor and delivery processes and have formulated ideas of how I'd like to experience the birth of our son. I realize that there are two VERY different ways it could happen - a natural progression that happens before 40 weeks or a scheduled, medical induction at 40 weeks.

The benefit of letting it occur naturally would be that I would be more in control of my pain management and could stay in the comfort of my own home, doing whatever I pleased, up until the bag of waters breaks or the pains are 5 minutes apart. I could avoid hours of wearing hospital clothes, hearing hospital sounds, and looking at hospital decor (all are not especially relaxing). The risk of letting it occur naturally is that with each progressing day, the placental health quality is reduced. This occurs in all pregnancies, but for my high-risk condition, it is more likely that the cell death occurs at a quicker rate. Therefore, I cannot go past the 40 week mark as many other mothers and babies do.

The benefit of scheduling an induction is that I will not have to worry about the baby's health anymore. He will be before my eyes and in my arms. A lot less anxiety! High risk doctors follow this line of thinking, too. They have worked so hard to give the baby a good fetal life and feel confident letting a baby be born ahead of nature's schedule because of the advanced medical care he can receive after birth. The risks include a more painful experience, due to the use of synthetic hormones. The prostaglandin and oxytocin my body would release naturally are less of a shock to my system than Cytotec and Pitocin. I would also have to have an IV of fluids and constant fetal monitoring. I would be pretty confined to my bed, and I would probably opt for the pain medication immediately. There are risks with epidurals, but perhaps the benefit would be that I would be more relaxed and peaceful during the experience.

It was a very tough decision to make at 5 pm, 38.5 weeks pregnant. Ultimately, the nurse, doctors, and we decided to allow labor to progress naturally up until July 26, 2009, the original due date. If there is not a baby by then, I will be admitted to our birth center for the Cytotec intervention on Sunday evening, and then I begin the Pitocin drip the next morning. Baby H will be here by Monday night.

Because I had felt so certain that "things were happening", disappointment was a big cloud over me. I imagined us having the baby by the weekend and having company visiting him. I pictured being NOT pregnant next week. I thought his birth date would be mid July. I was reminded by a friend that God already knew the plans for this baby's arrival, and He wasn't surprised and isn't disappointed by them. That was a comforting thought! Today, I feel more at peace with the idea of having 11 more days of being the only person in the world to hold Baby H.

Oh! His 38.5 Week Stats!

Weight: 7 lbs, 6oz, in the 77 percentile (could be a margin of error of +/- one pound)

Head diameter: 9.25 centimeters, 80 percentile

Family Photo, July 15, 2009

Conversation Baby May Have Overheard....

Dan: "You want your baby's daddy to meet him with a goatee?"

Bethany: "Nah, he's really never seen facial hair before. Might scare him. Keep shaving."

Update, Week 38. Moans and Groans.

Up until a few days ago, I had been enjoying this pregnancy. Well, perhaps the enjoyment began around June 20 or so, and ended near July 4... those were the easiest weeks for me. During those days, I experienced very little daytime nausea, few anxieties about birth or newborn baby, lots and lots of rest time, and the weather was fairly cool in Mid-Mo. My skin, hair, and mood were radiant. I felt happy and calm most of the time. I had a great trip to visit my family and friends in my hometown and a pleasant Independence Day trip. I felt pretty good about life, and totally loved getting a pedicure and my hair colored. I attended my water aerobics class regularly and was able to survive the day with only the briefest of naps.

So, in the last week things have changed. I visited the chiropractor for the first time in months in an attempt to assuage my weary back and neck. I've slept very little at night. I've been only able to attend a few aqua fitness classes, and when I am there, I cannot do very much, though its all low-impact. The temperature causes me to be sweaty, and I hate being sweaty on my scalp, back, and feet. My script for Nexium has run out, and is facing the insurance company for review, so I've got a grand-old case of the GERD again. Boo!

I've been quite forgetful this week, including tiny things like switching the laundry from the washer to the dryer, calling a friend to reschedule our appointment, where my keys are (that's not a new thing, though!!). and others.

I've also been feeling super heavy. Like I've got a solid lump of cement in my belly. A big, sometimes squirmy, lump that crushes my internal organs and makes it difficult to roll over. Frequently, the baby has spasms of energy that transform my abdomen into a shaking, jumping, shape-shifting weird thing. If he's active, he's super active! And now that his parts have all formed, I feel hard bits of skeleton like knees, spine, ankles prominently protruding like little lumps under the cover of my skin. SO odd.

To top it off, some of my "gee that maternity shirt is so huge it will never fit properly" apparel is now fitting snugly. I had to go buy a new shirt to have another one long and large enough to go into the rotation! Its a vibrant grape color, and while its cute and matches a pair of fuchsia shorts I also bought, I feel like a gigantic grape in it. Or perhaps like Violet B. from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

My pace is slower, and yesterday I asked Dan if the skin on the top of my feet was cracking or peeling because my feet hurt when I flexed them while walking. They weren't cracked, just swollen! Physically, my body is slower because of my achy joints and feet. I think the energy level I am feeling has reached an all time low... I have about as much energy as when I had mono. Seriously, I have to take a rest after I do a chore like walking to the mail box or folding clothes.

And speaking of swollen... its not just my feet! I've also had puffy fingers for about a month now, but in the last two weeks, my hands have gone to tingly to numb to frozen in weird positions when I sleep. I have to use one hand to physically straighten my fingers when I wake up. Its the weirdest thing, but would be a great Halloween trick! I can't remember ever feeling pain and pressure when I flex my fingers or curl them into a fist. Its SO odd.

The labor pains are still mild, irregular, and frequent. They haven't progressed into longer, stronger, closer together contractions, so its still not time for Baby H to emerge into the daylight.

Wednesday afternoon will be another baby doctor appointment, and this time the plans are well determined by which doctor I see. If I see Dr. G, the cautious, verbose scientist one, I'll definitely have a scheduled date and time to show up for inducement. If I see Dr. Kimberly, the peaceful, nature-will-take-her-course Canadian, she'll probably do a more natural procedure to move things along and urge me to wait another week before scheduling the inducement.

So... this means a baby within a week... or a baby in a week and a few days... but a baby before the "official due date" of July 26!

Accomplished... baby laundry!

A Full Term Baby

Dear Lord,

Thank you for granting me a full term pregnancy. It has been the most physically draining nine months of my life, but You gave me endurance.

You put people in my life to support me and encourage me. I thank you for my husband who is patient and kind, for my friend Ashley who is wise and encouraging, my parents who have been more understanding and tender hearted, my co-workers who were sympathetic, Dr. G who gave me a lot of knowledge and reassurance, Dr. Kimberly who gave me confidence and peace, Nurse Mary who called to check in on me and treated me so kindly, friends from my church who put me on their prayer list, my BFFs who texted or called or bought cute baby things for me just because they were thinking about me and the baby, extended family who have given me space and time to rest, blog friends who send emails and comments of encouragement to brighten my day, and kind strangers who have been helpful at odd times.

Thank you Lord for granting me the opportunity for superior medical care. I know prenatal care is a luxury in this part of the world. Thank you for giving me the chance for frequent or weekly visits to therapists, geneticists, ultrasound facilities, and nurses to prepare my body for this baby and to easy my apprehension with positive test results.

This is a prayer of thanksgiving. I breathe a huge sigh of relief and have some "evidence" now for how good is my Great God, and how in control of things He is.

Kid, You are Lucky...

And I wanted you to know it.

I've gotten several notes from former students who have said things like, "I've always thought you are one of those people who will be a great mom!" and "I wish you were my mom because I think you'd teach me a lot and be really fun when I was little" and "You are going to have a really smart kid because you'll teach him how to think properly for himself".

I know, sort of bragging a little. Or a lot. You can learn humility from your father!

Family Picture, July 5, 2009.